Mechanism for cleaning the ends of intermittent endless-conveyer gummed-blank grippers.



v M. E. PETERS, G. H. FATH & A. F. MILLER. 'MECHANlSM FOR CLEANINGIHEENDS 0F INTERMITTENT ENDLESS CONVEYER GUMMED BLANK GRIPP ERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28. ms. 1,226,997. Patented May 22,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I'- r M. E. PETERS,,G. H. FATH & A. F. MILLER;

MECHANISM FOR CLEANING THE ENDS 0F INTERMITTENT ENDLESS CONVEYER GUMMEDBLANK GRIPPERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1916.

Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEEIS-SHEET 2- MA flome MELVILLE E. Pn'rnns. enonen n.

PATH, im ALBERT F. MILLER, or DENVER". COLORADO.

MECHANISM FOR CLEANSING rnn nuns or ,rnrnniuir'rnn'r nivnnnss-convnirnnGUMMED-IBLANK GRIPPERS.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, MELVILLE E. Pn'rnns, GEORGE H. FATH, and ALBERT F.MILLER; citizens of the United States of America, residing in the cityand county of Denver and'Stat'e of Colorado, have invented a new anduseful Mechanism for Cleaning I the Ends of'IntermittentEndless-Conveyer Gummed-Blank Grippers, of-which the following is aspecification. V 7 Our invention relates to mechanism for cleaning theends of intermittent endless conveyor gummed blank grippers; and theobjects of our invention are:

First, to provide an automatically operating wet wiper washing andcleaning mechanism for the blank gripping members of endlessintermittent movement conveyers, that isadapted to engageeach setofblank grippers at. one of-the predetermined stopping points in theirendless movement after the grippers have been opened and the blank hasbeenremoved from them. And

Second, to providea simple gum coated blank gripper cleaning mechanismthat is cooperatively connected toand Operated by the intermittentmovement of endless chain conveyers that are adapted to grip the blanksone at atime as they are coated with gum in a blank gumming machine, andconvey them away on suitably supporting.

aprons to the returning point of the endless conveyer wherethe conveyerstops and the grippers are opened and are locked in an opened positionuntil the blank is removed from them, and in whichthese grippers arecleaned when in an opened position. t

We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings,

in which: s.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a blank gumming machine having anendless conveyer and rows of blank grippers thereon at regularintervals, and showing the application of our improved mechanism forcleansi the blanks from the gumming cylinder to the aprons of theconveyer, if not very frequently washed'and-cleaned to remove the ingsaid grippers;

Fig. Q isaplanIvieW of aportion of the machine shown inFig. 1; Fig. 3 isa plan view of themechanism for wiping the grippers v g i Fig. 4 sasideview, partly in section, of one of the. gripperwiping arms. And

Fig. 5 is a plan view thereof:

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Pa ama 22, 1917.

Application filed April 28, 1916. Serial No. 94,206.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views. Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates an endlessintermittent travelingconveyer, such asgrips and. conveys the blanksfrom the gumming cylinder 2 to its stop ping point, where they areremoved from the gumming' machine. Such a conveye'r and a grippercleaning mechanism is illustrated in our pending application SerialNumber 30,471, filed May 25, 1915, for a pneumatically controlled andautomatically Operating blank guinining and tempering machine i v i Thisendless conveyer is provided with an intermittent traveling and stoppingmove ment, and it' is provided with blank gripping finger-like members"3 that grip the blanks one ata time at gum-coated advance feeding edgewhen at'a predetermined point of the rotating surface of the gummingcylinder 2, and feed them up over a gapped cylinder 1, which we term atransmission cylinder, onto aprons 5,.upon which theylie out flat. Theblanks are held by thegripping fingers as they lie on the aprons, and asthey are carried or conveyed away from the blank gumming cylinder,untilv they reach a point 6 in the traveling movement of the conveyor,where they are picked up and are removed from the aprons. The blanks arecoated on one side either partially or wholly, as desired, by thegumming cylinder, and this gummed surface of the blank always remainsuppermost. Cons'equently the finger grippers engage their gummed surfaceat its advancing edge portion, and

the faces or surfaces of the ends of these fin- -er 'ri) ers becomestickv' 'withthe 11111 a u b sticky gum from them. a

We have found in practice that the bes results are obtained bycleaningthese blank gripping fingers just after they have been 105 opened andlocked in an open position and the blank has been removed from them, andwe have provided means for automatically washing their gummed coatedends at a convenient point between their blank removing stopping stationand their blank receiving and gripping station, where they are closed togrip the blanks by a cam 8 which engages pawls 9 on the bars 7 whichengage toothed disks 10, on the adjacent ends of spring actuated rods11, which are mounted in bearings 12 on the bars 7, the grippers 3 beingrigidly mounted on the said rods 11.

In order that a clear understanding of the functions of our inventionmay be had, a brief description of the endless apron conveying mechanismis deemed necessary.

We desire it understood, however, that our invention contemplatesbroadly the application of our automatically operating gum coated fingercleaning mechanism to all kinds of gummed blank conveying mechanism. Tothis end, the apron conveyer consists briefly of the followinginstrumentalities, which are arranged as follows:

The conveyer consists of two oppositely positioned outside side sprocketchains 13, both having exactly the same number of links. These chainsare mounted on sprocket wheels 14. and 15. Between these chainsextending crosswise between them and at equidistant distances apartthroughout the whole length of the endless conveyer the blank grippingcross bars 7 and the rods 11 are placed, with the finger grippersoperatively mounted on the said rods 11, the bars 7 being secured to,theinside links of the opposite chains between which these bars come. Toeach bar 7 we secure one end of an apron, which preferably consists of asheet of rubberized cloth, the other end of which is secured to anadditional cross bar 16. e illustrate eight of these blank receivingaprons in the length of the endless conveyer, and each apron has a setof blank gripping fingers 3, which are thrown to engage the blanks bytorsional springs 17 on the opposite ends of the rods 11, one end ofeach spring being secured to the adjacent bearing 12, while the otherend thereof is secured to the hub of the adjacent gripper 3, as shown byFig. 2. The grippers grip the blanks against the abutment bar 7 in thegap 18 of the gumming cylinder 2. The aprons with their blank grippers,of which there are several in a straight cross row, six being shown,pass over the gapped cylinder 4, which we term the transmissioncylinder, which is positioned close enough to the gumming cylinder toallow the blank grippers to enter the gap of the gumming cylinder andgrip the edge of the blank that is exposed there.

The gap in the transmission cylinder makes room for the gripper andapron supporting bars to rotate around the end of this cylinder, whilethe aprons lie flat against its curved surface, and the gripping fingersgrip a blank as they move in unison with the gumming cylinder, and drawit off of the gumming cylinder onto their ad jacent apron, as the apronsmove up over the transmission cylinder, which rotates in the directionof the arrow. The aprons at the opposite end of the conveyer turn on agripped cylinder 19, and the conveyer chains and the aprons and thegripper bars travel in a straight horizontal plane from the top of thetransmission cylinder to the top of the cylinder 19; from this cylinderand the sprocket wheels 15, both of which are mounted on a suitablesupporting shaft 20, the conveyer extends downwardly at an inward angleto and over an idler sprocket Wheel 21, from which it extends up to andover idlers 22 to the transmission cylinder, which is mounted on asuitable power driven shaft 23. The conveyer has an intermittent blankreceiving and conveying movement that causes each apron to stop at theend of its forward feeding movement. This intermittent blank feedingmovement is imparted to the conveyer by gearing, which is arranged intimed relation to the gap in the gumming cylinder, but which we do notillustrate.

This intermittent blank receiving and feeding movement of the conveyercauses each apron with its blank to stop at what we call the conveyersblank removing station, long enough to permit each blank to be removedfrom its supporting apron, and just after the conveyer stops, the blankgripping fingers which retain their grip on the blank on their adjacentapron are all simultaneously opened or thrown up and back by a cam andlever actuated toothed segment 2 1, that engages a toothed pinion 25,that is mounted on the gripper carrying bar.

The grippers are thus thrown automatically to an opened position, andthey are locked in this position by the pawl 9 and a ratchet toothedpinion 10 that is secured on a the bar 11 that supports the grippers.The

finger grippers remain in this open position until they travel backalong the under side of the conveyer to the gap of the transmissioncylinder, when at the right time they are released by the cam 8, andtheir springs 17 throw them over the edge of the blank. It is while theblank gripping fingers are moving in their wide opened position betweenthe idler supporting mechanism and the transmitting cylinder that weapply our gripper cleaning mechanism. Consequently we apply this grippercleaning mechanism at a point in the upward movement of the gripperswhen they come to a standstill.

The blank gripping finger cleaning mechanism comprises a pair ofsprocket wheels 26, that are secured on a shaft 27 that extends acrossthe machinebetween theiside frames A and B, and is journaledat'itsopposite ends'in bearing brackets 28', which are adjustablysecured to the" side frames. 'The teeth ofthese sprocket Wheels .26 meshinto the links of'the chains l3,*that form' the opposite sides of theconveyor; Consequently When the conveyor "is' traveling along,thesesprocke'twheelsand the shaft 27" are beingrotated by the chainsof'the conveyer. Upon the shaft 27 .we secure a number of wiper armscorresponding to the number-of grippers ona rod, placing an arm oppositeto each one of the blank grippers. Each of these armscomprises two parts29 and 3O.

The part 29 has a hub portion through which the shaft 27 passes andwhich isrigidly secured tosaid shaft, and an extension having abifurcated end, in which the inner end of the member 30 is pivotallymounted. The pivoted end of the member 30 terminates in a right angledstop member 31, which bears against the flat intervening face '32between the ears 33 of the bifurcated end of the member 29, andthisstop' prevents a swing ing movement of the member 30 in onedirection. The part of thepivoted' end of the member 30 opposite thestop '31 is rounded, so as to permit the member 30 to swing in onedirection. The member 30 is held under yielding tension, as respects"its swinging movement, by a coil spring :34, which is secured at oneend to the stop 31, and'at its opposite end, to a pin 35, which isscrewed into the hub; of the member 29. To the outer end of each arm 30,we secure a piece. of fabric or felt 36, that is adapted to absorb wateror any other suitable solution, and

that isadapted-to form asuitable wiper.

Below the shaft and these arms a pan 37 is placed, which is secured onacross bar 38, that extends across and is secured to brackets 39 on theinside of the side frames. This pan is. positioned to receive andpartially inclose the wiper arms'throughout a part of theircircumferential sweep below the shaft 27. This pan is partially filledwith water, and as the felt wipers enter the pan and move through it, asthey and their arm and the shaft are rotated by the sprocket wheels,they absorb enough water to present a thoroughly wet surface to the. gumcoated ends of the blank engaging ends of the blank grippingfingers,which theyengage in the following manners.

There are the same number of sprocket chain links in. each ofthesprocket chains,

and they are positioned exactly opposite to each other, and the two"chains are of a length to. exactly: subdivide intothe same number oflinks from-the center of. one

blank gripping bar and its apronhto the center of the next blankgripping bar and c its apron, throughouftfthe length of the if desired,by lengthening 0r shortening the conveyer enough to keep the distancebetween the blank gripping finger bars the same. i

The gum coated ends of the blank gripping ,fingers are exactly a certainnumber of sprocket chain links apart, and the conveyer stops when eachgripper bar with its finger arrives at its blank removing point orstation. Consequently the rotating wipers are so positioned that theyarrive at the upper part of the top center of their rotative movement intime to meet and engage and bear against the gum coated blank engagingends of the blank gripper bar ofo-pen blank grippers, as eachbar' ofgrippers is moved to and by thewipers and the wipers engage the blankengaging surfaces of these open finger grippers with acushioningpressure, just as the'conveyer stops to allow a blank to beremoved from the apron at the blank removing stat-ion. The stoppingv ofthe conveyer for the removal of a blank stops a bar of the open fingergrippers at the top center ofthe along, these wipers move in acurvedline while the conveyor with the grippers moves in a straight line awayfrom the wipers.- Consequently the wipers wipe and rub across the endsof the gum' coated faces of the grippers, and thoroughly clean them.-Each row of blank gripping fingers of each apron is thus engaged andcleaned by the wipers, just as the conveyor stops and starts again.

While we have illustrated and described our invention applied to anendless intermittent traveling blank conveying or transmit tingconveyor, we do not wish to be limited to the construction andarrangement shown, as many changes might be made without departing fromthe spirit of our invention.

Having describd our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent,is: r 1. Inadevice for cleaning the blank grippingfingers of the apron conveyers of blank gumming machines, thecombination-of the conveyer chains and the grippers that engage: thegummed surface of the" blanks, with a pair of shaft supported sprocketwheels arranged in mesh with said conveyor,

shaft and arranged to engage the gum coated ends of said blank grippers.

2. In a device for cleaning the blank gripping fingers of the apronconveyers of blank gumming machines, the combination of the conveyerchains and the grippers that engage the gummed surface of the blanks,with a pair of shaft supported sprocket wheels arranged in mesh withsaid conveyer chains, a pan supported below said shaft provided with asupply of any suitable liquid, and wiper members mounted on said shaftand arranged to engage the gum coated ends of said blank grippers, saidshaft being provided with a plurality of grippers and said wipers beingeach arranged to engage an individual gripper.

8. In a device for cleaning the blank gripping fingers of the apronconveyers of blank gumming machines, the combination of the conveyerchains and the grippers that engage the gummed surface of the blanks,with apair of shaft supported sprocket wheels arranged in mesh with saidconveyer chains, a pan supported below said shaft provided with a supplyof any suitable liquid, and wiper members mounted on said shaft andarranged to engage the gum coated ends of said blank grippers, saidshaft being provided with a plurality of grippers and said wipers beingeach arranged to engage an individual gripper, each of said wiperscomprising an arm secured to said shaft and provided at its end with awater or other liquid solution absorbing material adapted to take up asupply of water and rubbingly apply it to the gum coated surfaces ofsaid grippers.

4. In a device as specified, the combination with the intermittentlystopping conveyer provided with sprocket chain links and the blankgrippers, of the shaft and the sprocket wheels, said sprocket wheelsbeing arranged in mesh with the links of said sprocket chain, the waterabsorbing and distributing wipers on said shaft arranged to engage saidgrippers and the water holding pan provided with a body of waterarranged to permit said wipers as they are rotated by said sprocketwheels and the carrying chains to absorb water, and means whereby saidwet wipers engage each set of wipers at a pre determined point in thelength of said conveyer at their intermittently stopping periods.

5. In a device as specified for an intermittent gummed blanktransmitting conveyer, the combination with the sprocket chain links andthe gummed blank gripping grippers of the conveyer, of the shaftsupported sprocket wheels rotatably mounted below said conveyer, armssecured on said shaft each of which is provided with a wiper comprisinga suitable water absorbing fabric at its end, one of each of said armsbeing positioned to engage one of said grippers as they arrive at andstop in the rotative path of said wipers as they are rotated by theendless intermittent traveling movement of said conveyer, a pan belowsaid shaft provided with a supply of water and arranged to re ceive andwet the wipers of each arm as they rotate through the water in said pan,

said Wipers being arranged and positioned to engage each set of grippersat some convenient point in its traveling movement between where itreceives the blanks and where they are removed from it, where each rowof blank grippers stops and rests against said gum coated surfaces ofsaid grippers during the intermittent stopping period of said conveyer.

6. In a device as specified, the combination with an endless gummedblank conveyer provided with intermittent stop blank releasing andremoving stations, said conveyer being provided with blank supportingaprons provided with blank gripping fingers spaced at equi-distancesapart in said endless conveyer, a shaft rotated by and in unison withthe traveling nrovement of said conveyer to make a full revolutionbetween each set of equi-distantly spaced blank gripping fingers, a setof water absorbing and distributing wipers secured on said shaft androtating therewith and corresponding in number to the number of blankgripping fingers of each apron and arranged in the traveling path ofsaid grippers, a pan provided with a supply of water positioned toreceive and soakingly wet said rotating wipers between each set ofgrippers as the conveyer intermittently moves along said wipers beingpositioned to engage the gum coated surface of a set of grippers, eachtime the conveyer stops, and to exert a rubbing pressure against the gumcoated surfaces of said grippers as the conveyer starts and moves awayfrom said wipers.

7. In a device as specified, the combination of the endless intermittentmovement sprocket chain conveyer, provided with a plurality of sets ofgummed blank gripping fingers, the water containing pan provided with asupply of water, the shaft supported wipers rotating through said panand absorbing water therefrom, and arranged to rotate in a completecircle, and to engage each set of grippers as they are moved and stoppedwhen passing said wipers, and the sprocket wheel on said wipersupporting shaft arranged to mesh with the sprocket chains of saidconveyer and to rotate said wet wipers a full revolution between thecenters of each set of wipers, whereby said wipers rotate in unison withthe feed and stop movement of each set of finger grippers and engage andwipingly apply water to and clean them.

8. In a gummed blank gripping finger CAD cleaning mechanism,thecombinatio-n of the sprocket chains, aprons, and the set of blankgripping fingers on each apron, said conveyer having an makea fullrevolution between each set-ofgrippers and to engage and apply to them awet rubbing and cleaning pressure during the moving and stop periodsofleach set of grippers while passing said: wiper'mechamsm. i

9. The combination with power Vdriven parallel endless conveyer. chains,bars connecting said chains at regular intervals, and

grippers mounted on said bars, of a shaft, sprocket wheels on said shaftin mesh with said chains, arms on said shaft having yielding extensions,liquid absorbingpads on said I extensions, said sprockets being of adiameter as to impart a complete revolution to the arms, while thechains travel a distance equal to the space between two gripper bars,

whereby the said pads are caused to engage the blank supporting eachrow' of grippersas they pass, and a liquid holding receptacle below andin the path of said arms.

10. The combination with sprocket wheels,

power, driven parallel endless conveyer.

chains carried by said sprocket wheels, bars connecting said chains atregular intervals,

and grippers mounted on said bars, of a shaft, sprocket wheels on saidshaft in mesh with and driven by said chains, and of the wheels, armsrigidly mountedon said shaft having hinged extensions, and springs forholding said extensions under yielding ten sion in one direction,absorbent pads on the ends of said yielding extensions, and a liquidholding pan beneath and in the path of said arms, said arms being inline with thegrippers and being given a complete revolution as thechains travel the distance between two gripper carrying bars, wherebythe pads are brought intowipingengagement with each set of'grippersasthey pass.

In testimony whereof we aliix' our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

MELVILLE E. PETERS. GEORGE H. FATH. ALBERT F. MILLER.

V Witnesses G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,- ELIZABETH SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D; C. p i

, same diameter as the chain carrying sprocket

